Great Pyrenees are considered to be average to heavy shedders, depending on the climate they live in, so expect to have white hairs on your clothes, furniture, car, and toothbrush.

Despite the shedding, he's fairly easy to groom and only requires about 30 minutes of work per week. If his silk-like hair gets dirty, it dries quickly and combs right out. Granted, he leaves white, silky dust bunnies on your floor, but if you collect it and put it outside, birds will use it for their nests--it's a good insulator for their newborn babies.

The Great Pyrenees has a double coat, the top coat and the undercoat. The top coat is long and thick and should be coarse in texture. It may be straight or slightly wavy, but it shouldn't be curly. There should be a mane or ruff around the neck, more pronounced in males; and feathering on the back of the legs, forming a pantaloon on the back thighs. The tail should have a plume and the face and ears should have short, fine hair. The undercoat should be dense and woolly.

He is white or white with markings that can be badger, tan, gray, or reddish-brown in color. The markings can appear on the head, as a mask, on the ears, on the tail, and (occasionally) on the body--but markings should never cover more than one-third of the body. The undercoat can be either shaded or white.

Don't clip the Pyr's hair during hot weather. The coat keeps him cool, and when you shave the hair you compromise his natural protection from the sun.

Other than brushing, the Great Pyrenees coat requires very little care. Generally the eyebrows, whiskers, ears, hocks, feet, and forelegs are trimmed, although that's usually for dogs showing in conformation. Baths can be infrequent (once every couple of months) since his coat tends to shed dirt. When you do bathe your Great Pyrenees, use a high-quality dog shampoo to avoid stripping oils from the dog's coat and skin.

Check his ears once a week for dirt, redness, or a bad odor that can indicate an infection. Also wipe them out weekly with a cotton ball dampened with gentle, pH-balanced ear cleaner to prevent problems.

Because his floppy ears block air circulation, they must be checked and cleaned weekly to prevent ear infections. Gently wipe out the ear with a cotton ball moistened with a cleaning solution recommended by your veterinarian. Never stick cotton swabs or anything else into the ear canal or you might damage it. Your Pyr may have an ear infection if the inside of the ear smells bad, looks red or seems tender, or he frequently shakes his head or scratches at his ear.

Brush your Pyr's teeth at least two or three times a week to remove tartar buildup and the bacteria that lurk inside it. Daily brushing is even better if you want to prevent gum disease and bad breath.

Trim his nails regularly if he doesn't wear them down naturally. If you can hear them clicking on the floor, they're too long. Short, neatly trimmed nails keep your arms from getting scratched when your Great Pyrenees enthusiastically jumps up to greet you.

Begin accustoming your Pyr to being brushed and examined when he's a puppy. Handle his paws frequently--dogs are touchy about their feet--and look inside his mouth and ears. Make grooming a positive experience filled with praise and rewards, and you'll lay the groundwork for easy veterinary exams and other handling when he's an adult.

As you groom, check for sores, rashes, or signs of infection such as redness, tenderness, or inflammation on the skin or feet and in the ears, nose, mouth, and eyes. Ears should smell good, without too much wax or gunk inside, and eyes should be clear, with no redness or discharge. Your careful weekly exam will help you spot potential health problems early.

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